Steelman Triathlon - TriathlonOlympic

Got out there toward the back and outside-ish. Was a fairly uneventful start, one head slap but other than that it was contact free and I had plenty of space to get into an easy and smooth rhythm. Swam to the outside and sited on the cap to the inside. Hit the buoys dead on did the short up swing leg into the sun. Swallowed a lot of water but the lake was even nice in that respect. On the way back I concentrated on pulling a bit harder and passed a few people on the leg past the start and up the jetty, turned in to round the jetty and took a much cleaner line than some of the folks I was racing with. Only had 5 yellow caps make up the stagger including a line of three on the way to the boat ramp. The race had a line of volunteer to help us up the slippery boat ramp. Nice Touch and a good swim.

Either didn't hear it or they didn't say but I really wasn't sure where the start bouy was and which side of it we were starting on (Water was deeper on the other side). But a good outcome even with some poor positioning. Off course I could swim more too, but that goes without saying.

Long run over grass from boat ramp to the transition area. Overshot the bike rack by one but ducked under and got to it. Good smooth transition but forgot to put the Gu I laid out into the Jersey.

Pick up the GU, I blew up last year becasue I didn't refuel. Fortunately it worked out ok cause I ate it in T2.

Right off the bat the monster hill had me out of gear quickly and standing before halfway. A whopping 7 mph up that hill but I got thru it and was still in the big ring. Nice little warm up, eh? Got back to pace fairly quickly and then turning onto rt 563 and the downhills I got flying, 24MPH up to 29 MPH and cruised over the hills over 22 MPH. Hit the first turnaround and made sure to grab a drink at that turn both laps and coming by the Marina entrance each lap. Finished off the first bottle right at the end of the bike. Rode the rolling hills strong on each leg but the real hills were more interesting. Alternated going 12 MPH up and then booming down at 32-34 MPH. The third hill was the real pain, you boom down then hit the breaks and do the turn around losing all them momentum you built up. Then the longest hill. However, I handled that hill best out of the 3 each time. So the first loop was good and the second loop I got into a back and forth with a 37 F doing the sprint, she was quick and we passed each other 3 times before the turn around. When I grabbed my drink however, she got away and held that distance the rest of the loop. Fun and challenging ride. Work the hills recover, drive the down hills. The road down to the marina after the second loop was hairy. i was on the break throughout but still saw 28 MPH. Good ride 1.3 MPH faster than last year.

Need to ride more hills, felt good but I was slow. Really didn't want to go to the small ring but maybe I should have as a higher cadence may have helped.

Nice smooth and steady transition. No real issues. Grabbed my GU and washed it down with gatorade from the second bottle and headed off on the run.

Nothing.

Felt good right off the bat and settled in waiting for the pop in my legs to show up. Had Miss Bethys friend (least ithink thats who it was) in the yellow jersey pass me at the first water stop. He and a guy in the sprint both went past and opened about 10 yards, before I finally gathered myself and started reeling them back. Caught them at about the mile mark. The dude in the yellow hung with me and talked to me a bit asking what kind of pace I ran. Then he passed me just past the first turnaround and pulled away by about 20 yards. Then it was like I flipped the switch on one of the first downhills. I was smooth and flowing and I was off. Started really passing people (with the the sprint and olympic there were people everywhere.) By the end of the first loop I was about 5 yards behind and caught him soon thereafter. He made another joke but I pulled away as I was feeling really strong. Worked to the turn for the second time and on the way back saw someone doing the sprint who added some distance by doing the olympic loop by accident, but at that point there was nothing he could have done. Had a 61 year old guy doing the sprint clip my heels and then pass me. Worked hard to hang with him but this guy was pretty quick. Hope I am in that kind of shape at 61. Saw Miss Bethy on the way back and gave her a high five. Finished well. Someone shouted out that I was a BTer and i gave then a hang loose. Then I saw the clock and 2:37 and finished with a smile and a fist pump. Awesome run.

THe only thing would be maybe push the issue sooner, but once I got into the groove and felt smooth I was flying. Given that last year I blew up and was over an hour, a 46:48 was pretty darn good.

The ice water finishing towels were awesome. Grabed some fruit and gatorade, walked to the transition and packed up but found I had to wait till after the award to remove my bike. About 5 minutes later they changed there mind and made and annoncement, so I brought my bike to the car and chaned out of my trisuit. Came back for a while, but once they posted some results and I saw the run spilt I was pumped up and headed home.


This was a B race, so no taper, and a bunch of bricks this week, but a great effort and a little 25 minute PR. Not going to complain about that.


USAT mid Atlantic Championship event so good level of competition. They did a good job taking feedback and changing the swim and run courses for the better. Great lake for the swim, deep clean, and the water even tastes good (did really mean to find that out). Lots of give aways and a dry release T shirt and a finishers towel. Good event and the weather cooperated.